Saturday, April 24, 2021

 The Plane Paradox: More Automation Should Mean More Training


"SHORTLY AFTER A Smartlynx Estonian Airbus 320 took off on February 28, 2018, all four of the aircraft’s flight control computers stopped working. Each performed precisely as designed, taking themselves offline after (incorrectly) sensing a fault. The problem, later discovered, was an actuator that had been serviced with oil that was too viscous. A design created to prevent a problem created a problem. Only the skill of the instructor pilot on board prevented a fatal crash."

Keep reading at:

https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-the-plane-paradox-more-automation-should-mean-more-training/

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Angle of Attack book released!

Angle of Attack by Roger Rapoport and Shem Malmquist

AoA book image
NOW AVAILABLE FOR ORDER EXCLUSIVELY FROM CURT LEWIS AVIATION BOOKS
Finally, the definitive book on the Titanic of aviation accidents, a state-of-the-art jet that couldn’t stall until it did and took the lives of 228 Air France passengers and crew. Based on exclusive interviews with the aircraft’s manufacturer, the airline, flight crews, families of the pilots, accident investigators and the Woods Hole led team that recovered the missing jet from the bottom of the South Atlantic, Angle of Attack reveals why airlines and regulators everywhere must respond now to critical lessons from this legendary event.
Autographed first edition copies available from Curt Lewis Aviation Books at
Buy the book and the movie it inspired, Pilot Error, and save $6
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANGLE OF ATTACK
“We owe Rapoport and Malmquist a great debt of gratitude.  Read every word.”
-Dr. Gary Helmer, Embry Riddle University
“A great resource for aeronautical professionals … exposes the failed defenses that can reside at each layer of the aviation system.  A must read for anyone with an interest in aviation accident investigation and aviation safety.”
-Dr. Chris Johnson, Director of Aviation Education and Research, Industrial & Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison
“A must read for professional pilots, aircraft designers, government regulators and political decision makers.”
-Gregory Fox, Director of Safety, Florida Institute of Technology, ATPL pilot, safety manager since 1971, 35 years safety regulator, and 20 years check inspector on A320 and A340.
“Angle of Attack sheds light for the novice and expert alike.  Their subject matter expertise is admirable.  They have used the Air France 447 crash and other crashes of automated airplanes as examples of accidents that might have been prevented if the crews had access to realistic training to prepare them for those rare events and if their aircraft had been equipped with angle of attack indicators.”
-Captain Elaine M. Parker, Beyond Risk Management
“For the very first time the full story of Air France 447, one of the most significant events in aviation history, is revealed thanks to eight years of painstaking research.”
-John Darbo- Argus International, former American Airlines manager of internal evaluation and event investigation.
“You don’t have to be a [pilot to find this book moving and absorbing.”
– Adam Hochschild, Author of Spain in Our Hearts and King Leopold’s Ghost
“This book proves conclusively that education by meteorologists is the key to fundamental understanding of the impact weather has on the elements of the aviation arena.”
– Debbie Schaum, Embry-Riddle University
“A masterful work that was hard to put down.”
-Captain Shawn Pruchnicki
Ohio State University for Aviation Studies

Monday, January 4, 2016

“The Fall of Saigon: FedEx Aircraft Mechanic Reflects on Journey from War 40 Years Later” –An amazing story

This post is to honor someone who deserves to be recognized.  Sometimes the job of flying puts us in contact with amazing individuals.  I have been fortunate to meet quite a few in my lifetime and perhaps that will be a topic for another post.  This is a story of one of them. In August 2014 I carried a remarkable individual on my jumpseat.  He did not think his story impressive, but I strongly disagreed!  The very next day I sent the following email to one of the FedEx corporate communication people I had worked with on various projects:

“Let night I had the honor of carrying one of our mechanics, Mr. Do, on the jumpseat.  I invited him to ride up front, and during conversation I found out that he is quite a remarkable man.  It is a long story, but a few details  include that he was part of the South Vietnamese military, and after the U.S. pulled out and Saigon fell, he was captured, placed in a concentration camp, from which he eventually escaped, hid in the jungle, built a boat that he used to attempt to sail to Thailand, had their engine fail, drifted eventually into an oil platform, was rescued, and finally found himself in the U.S.  He has gone back to visit (since it opened), and that is quite a story as well.
I think that this would make a wonderful story, so I am sending his contact information to you in hopes you can either do it yourself or get it to the right person.”
I am honored to say that the story has now been published and you can click on the image below to view it and watch the video.  The URL is also listed below.
fall of saigon

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

A list of articles

To aid in people finding what they might enjoy reading, please follow the link: List of Articles